Heroic Homecoming
by CarsWorldFan
Summary: Prequel to 'The Kite'. In the summer of 1987, graduate fireman, Samuel Jones, returns to his hometown of Pontypandy after the sudden deaths of his parents. Things don't begin well when Sam realises that Fireman Steele knows his deepest, darkest secret. Will Fireman Sam be able to prove himself when Trevor gets caught in a terrible house fire?
1. Chapter 1 - Coming Home

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to HiT Entertainment.**

Chapter 1 – Coming Home

 **Summer 1987**

Late one morning, Trevor Evans was driving his bus from Newtown to Pontypandy. On board, the only passenger was a casually dressed, sombre-looking young eighteen-year-old man with reddish-brown hair. Trevor glanced at his passenger in his rear-view mirror.

"Glad to be going home then, young Sam?"

The young man took a moment to respond. "That's not an easy question to answer, Mr Evans…"

"Oh. Sorry. I didn't realise you hadn't fully accepted your parents' death yet. But you don't need to be so formal with me anymore, now that you're an adult. You can call me, Trevor."

Sam didn't respond, but he did drop his gaze to try and hide his tears. It had only been two weeks since his parents had died in a tragic boating accident while out at sea in Pontypandy Bay. The fishing boat had caught fire, and the resulting explosion from a gas canister had killed them before they could be rescued. Ironically, Sam had just spent the last year training at the specialised firefighting academy in Cardiff, and he was now a fully qualified fireman. Having graduated at the top of his class, he'd been expecting to be assigned to the fire station in Cardiff, but his parents' sudden death had changed everything. Out of compassion, the Chief Fire Officer had decided to assign Sam to the fire station in his hometown of Pontypandy. So far, only Sam, the Chief Fire Officer and the Pontypandy Station Officer, Boyce, knew about Sam's assigned posting. Everyone else had been told that Sam was returning home for a holiday with his family, before taking up his new posting.

But a holiday was the last thing Sam wanted. He was excited about becoming a professional fireman, and despite everything that had happened in the past few weeks, he couldn't wait to get started.

"At least they got to see me graduate," Sam muttered to himself. Staring out of the window, he saw his hometown appear on the horizon in the distance.

"What are you planning to do on your holiday then, Sam?" Trevor asked. He didn't like Sam's quietness. It was very uncharacteristic from the Sam he'd known a year earlier. Sam and his older brother, Charlie, had been the village terrors. They'd always been getting up to mischief with the townsfolk, but most of the time, their escapades hadn't resulted in anything disastrous. They'd just been more of a nuisance, really.

"Nothing much," Sam replied with a small sigh. "I just want to spend some time with Charlie, Bronwyn and the twins. They're the only family I have left now."

Trevor sighed. He was naturally a very cheerful man, even in the face of danger, so Sam's depressed mood was really starting to irritate him.

"The twins sure have grown!" Trevor continued. "And with you and Charlie back together, I think I'll put the local fire brigade on standby…"

Sam had to chuckle, despite himself. "Don't worry, Trevor. I put out fires now."

"That wasn't quite what I was referring to…"

"Oh, you mean that incident that occurred two summers ago, when Charlie and I got stuck up in that tree?"

"When did that happen? I must've missed it."

Sam waved his hand dismissively. "I'll tell you another time. But I can promise you that you don't have to worry about me getting into trouble anymore."

"That'll be the day," Trevor muttered under his breath.

Trevor's bus entered Pontypandy then. Sam looked around at all the familiar landmarks as Trevor drove towards the quay. It was strangely quiet. With a heavy heart, Sam gathered up his belongings. As soon as Trevor stopped the bus near the corner, Sam disembarked.

"Thank you, Trevor," he said softly.

"No problem, Sam," Trevor replied. "Take care, now."

Sam waited until Trevor had driven away, before he headed over to the Wholefish Café, where his brother lived with his young family. It was also the house he and Charlie had spent their teenage years growing up in, with their parents. Sam sighed sadly just before he entered the café. Bronwyn, his sister-in-law, looked up from the counter. She squealed as soon as she saw Sam.

"Sam! You're home at last! Oh! Charlie! Sam's here!"

"Where are the twins?" Sam asked as he placed his bag down on a nearby table.

"They're out playing with Norman Price," Bronwyn replied.

Sam was confused. "Who?"

"Oh! He's a new boy in town. His mother took over the grocery store about two months ago. I must've forgotten to tell you. Sorry."

"That's okay, Bronwyn. It's not important. I'll catch up with the twins later."

At that moment, Charlie came downstairs. "Sam!" he exclaimed as he threw his arms around his younger brother. "Thank goodness you're home at last!"

The two brothers hugged each other tightly for a moment. Finally, with tears streaming down their cheeks, they separated.

"I just can't believe it happened," Sam whispered.

"Me either," Charlie sniffled. "The fire brigade did everything they could, but without a boat of their own, there was little they could do in a hurry."

Sam was surprised. "Don't tell me the fire service here don't even have their own patrol boat yet?"

"This isn't Cardiff, Sam. We don't have all those fancy, modern toys you've been playing with for the past year."

"They're not toys, Charlie," Sam protested. Then he sighed in defeat. "Never mind. Talking about what could've been done won't bring them back."

Charlie placed a hand on Sam's shoulder. "Sorry, Sam. You're right. Why don't I show you upstairs so you can get settled?"

"Okay. Thanks."

…

Later that afternoon, Sam was wondering around the streets of Pontypandy, taking in all the changes that had happened during his time away. Being a small coastal town, not much had changed, but he was very glad of that.

Sam was just making his way home, when he heard some wheels rapidly approaching behind him. Turning, he saw a small red-headed boy on a yellow skateboard coming down the hill towards him. Sam managed to leap out of the way just in time.

"Hey!" Sam exclaimed.

"Sorry, Mister!" the boy yelled as he skated on past.

Sam was just about to continue on his way, when he heard running footsteps approaching. He smiled when he saw his twin niece and nephew, Sarah and James, running down the middle of the road.

"Norman! Wait for us!" James shouted.

At that moment, Sam heard an engine approaching as well. "Sarah! James! Get off the road, now!"

Sarah and James froze in confusion. Instinctively, Sam dashed across the road, grabbing Sarah and James and pulling them out of the way, just as Trevor's bus rounded the corner. Trevor braked hard.

"Is everyone okay?" Trevor asked with concern once his bus had come to a stop.

"I think so," Sam replied. "Sorry, Mr Evans…er…Trevor. I'll make sure they don't do it again."

Nodding, Trevor drove off. Sam turned on his niece and nephew. "Sarah and James! Your parents have told you countless times not to play in the middle of the street, so why do you keep on doing it?"

"Sorry, Uncle Sam," Sarah whimpered.

"We forgot," James added sadly.

Sam took his niece and nephew firmly by the hand. "Well, perhaps you won't forget in future. Roads are not playgrounds. You're just lucky that I happened to be here. Now, why don't I take you home for lunch?"

The twins happily agreed. "When did you get back, Uncle Sam?" James wondered.

"Not too long ago, actually."

"Mum said you were coming here on holiday," Sarah said.

"That's right, Sarah."

"So, how long will you be staying?"

"I'm not sure yet," Sam replied sadly.

"Is that because grandma and grandad died?" James asked.

A lump caught in Sam's throat. "Perhaps. Come on. I'm starving!"

…

During lunch, the phone rang. Bronwyn answered it. "Sam? It's Station Officer Boyce. He wants to talk to you."

Sam took a deep breath before he took the phone from Bronwyn. "Yes, sir?"

"Fireman Jones? I heard that you'd arrived in town this morning. Would you mind coming around to my place for afternoon tea? We have some things we need to discuss."

"Of course, sir. Can you give me the time and address, please?"

A moment later, Sam hung up the phone.

"So, what did he want?" Charlie asked.

"Nothing. He…uh… He just wanted to congratulate me on my graduation from the academy."

Charlie and Bronwyn didn't look convinced, but they decided not to push. "How about coming out on the boat with me this afternoon, Sam? I'm sure you're longing to be at sea again after spending a year on dry ground."

"Actually, I did do quite a lot of ocean rescue training at the academy," Sam replied. "But I'm afraid I have other plans for this afternoon."

"Can we go with you, please dad?" James begged.

"Yes, please, dad?" Sarah added.

"Not today, kids. You're still too young to come out to sea with me. Never mind, Sam. We can go fishing another day. It'll be just like old times."

Sam immediately looked sad again. "No, I'm afraid it won't be like old times, Charlie. And it never will be again!" And with that, Sam ran upstairs.

"Oh, dear!" Bronwyn said.

"What's wrong with Uncle Sam?" Sarah asked.

"He's still very upset by your grandparents' deaths," Bronwyn answered. "I think the fact that he missed the funeral hasn't helped him accept it. He hasn't had the closure that we've had."

"Should I go and talk to him?" Charlie wondered.

"No. Just give him some space for now, please, Charlie. I'm sure he'll come around in his own time."

…

Shortly before three o'clock, Sam arrived at Station Officer Boyce's house. He took a deep breath before ringing the bell. A moment later, Station Officer Boyce answered the door.

"Hello, Fireman Jones. Please, come in and make yourself comfortable."

"Thank you, sir," Sam replied as he entered the house.

A few minutes later, they were both settled in the kitchen with cups of tea and biscuits. Station Officer Boyce placed Sam's personnel file down on the kitchen table. Sam paused when he saw it.

"I must say, I'm rather impressed with your record from the Cardiff Fire Academy, Sam," Station Officer Boyce said as he opened the file. "A hundred percent on your final exam… You have advanced qualifications and licences to drive multiple vehicles, including large vehicles… And you passed your wilderness survival tests with flying colours. Seems a bit unbelievable for a trainee." He looked squarely at Sam, waiting for an explanation.

"I'm fully dedicated to my career, sir," Sam replied. "And, it's not too hard to pass exams when you spend all of your spare time studying and training."

"Yes, that would help, I suppose… But what I can't understand is why HQ would send someone with your apparent skills to a small coastal village like Pontypandy. They usually keep the best graduates for themselves."

"This is my hometown, sir. It made sense for me to be assigned here. I know the area around Pontypandy better than most locals, thanks to my many childhood adventures. Or, as some around here might say, misadventures."

"I see. Well, I would like to see you in action before I'll be completely happy with your assignment to us. Luckily for you, I can't argue with HQ's decisions. I have just one question to ask you."

"Yes, sir?"

"Why did you decide to become a fireman? I'm only asking because I know you come from a sea-faring family. It seems very strange for you to turn your back on that in favour of firefighting."

Sam paled slightly and he drew in a deep breath. "I'm not sure I can tell you that, sir. It might put my job here in jeopardy."

"In that case, you'd better tell me, Sam."

Sam slowly put down his cup of tea. "Very well then, sir. But only if you promise that what I'm about to say never leaves this room. And that my future colleagues never come to hear of it either."

"Sounds serious."

"It is, sir, and that's why I need you to promise."

"Very well then, Sam," Station Officer Boyce reluctantly agreed. "I promise."

"Okay. About ten years ago, there was a massive house fire down on the coast road."

"Hmm… I think that happened when I was on my annual holiday."

"Yes… Well, it was my family's home that burned down." Sam stood up and he went over to the window, so he wouldn't have to look at Station Officer Boyce when he next spoke. "I was about eight years old at the time. My brother, Charlie, was twelve. The fire started in my bedroom. My parents and Charlie made it out before the fire got too fierce, but I was trapped in my bedroom. I was sure I was going to die that night. Then, Fireman Steele burst into my room and he threw a blanket around me. Since I couldn't see anything because of that blanket, I don't know how he managed to get us out as the house collapsed around us, but he did. Unfortunately, the fire spread to the neighbour's house, and that burned down too. But that wasn't all…"

Station Officer Boyce waited patiently for Sam to continue. Sam wiped a tear away from his eyes.

"When the fire had been extinguished, they found that elderly Mr Johnston, our neighbour, hadn't been able to make it out. Everyone thought he was staying with his sister at the time, but he must've changed his mind at the last minute." Sam drew in another deep breath. "They never officially found the cause of the fire, but I know exactly how it started, and I've never told anyone else. Even Charlie doesn't know, and if I have my way, he never will."

Sam turned around to face Station Officer Boyce. A look of remorse filled his face.

"I started the fire. Dad had said we could go camping that weekend, and I wanted to see if I could build a proper campfire all by myself. He left the matches on the kitchen table, and, well… I think you can guess what happened next." Sam looked dejectedly down at the floor. "I owe my life to Fireman Steele, and I swore that night that I would devote my entire life to saving the lives of others, just like he'd saved mine. It would be a tremendous honour for me to work alongside the man who saved my life, even if he doesn't remember me, or that terrible night."

Station Officer Boyce stood up, and he placed both of his hands on Sam's shoulders. "And you will, Fireman Jones. You were just a child then, and everyone makes mistakes. The difference here is that you learned from yours immediately, and now you're ready to make amends for it. And, you were also extremely brave admitting to me what you've just told me. If I was a nasty man, I would tear up your contract here and now. But, luckily, I'm not, and I firmly believe in giving everyone a second chance. You have this wonderful opportunity to redeem yourself, and I know you won't let me down. Your record from the academy tells me that."

"Thank you, sir," Sam whispered in amazement.

"Good. Now, tomorrow, I will be announcing my promotion to the Newtown Fire Service in front of the entire town. I will also be announcing the new Station Officer, and you too, of course. But I'd like to keep your assignment to our fire brigade a secret until the last moment. To ensure that, I want you to slip away from the ceremony as soon as you can, and hide inside the station. Your new uniforms are already inside a locker at the back of the station, behind the kitchen, but you'll have to change into the uniform quickly. Then, when you hear me announce you, you can come outside and fall into line beside Fireman Criddlington. That should surprise everyone."

"Understood, sir. And… Thank you for giving me a chance."

Station Officer Boyce held out his hand, and Sam shook it. "You're welcome, Fireman Jones."

"Uh, sir? Um, I'd rather not be called 'Fireman Jones'. It makes me sound old, and I'm barely an adult. I'd be much happier if everyone just called me, Fireman Sam."

"Of course, Fireman Sam," Station Officer Boyce smiled. "I'll try to remember that tomorrow."

"Thanks again, sir. I'll see you tomorrow then."

 **Please, feel free to write a review. I can assure you, they are very much appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 2 - Settling In

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to HiT Entertainment.**

Chapter 2 – Settling In

Shortly before nine o'clock the following morning, the entire township of Pontypandy made their way to the fire station, to witness Station Officer Boyce's announcement. Sam tried to look as inconspicuous as possible, and still be on the edge of the crowd, so he could sneak away at the right moment.

Once everyone had arrived, Station Officer Boyce, Fireman Steele and Fireman Criddlington made their way outside. Seeing Sam, Station Officer Boyce made a small 'get going' gesture with his head. Sam took a quick look around to make sure no one was watching him, before he darted inside the fire station.

It didn't take Sam long to find the lockers. One of them had a piece of paper with his name taped to the front of it. "Smart thinking, sir," Sam said to himself as he gathered up his new uniform.

Moments later, Sam was all kitted out in his brand-new black and yellow uniform. He smiled when he saw, in a mirror, that it was a perfect fit. Tucking his shiny new firefighting helmet under his arm, Sam made his way to the front of the building. He could hear Station Officer Boyce outside, addressing the crowd.

"…but I do have one final act to perform before I leave at the end of the week," Station Officer Boyce was saying. "I have the honour of announcing my successor. Fireman Steele, please step forward."

Sam gasped slightly when he realised that Fireman Steele was about to be appointed as his new boss. He leaned back against a wall in disbelief. "I thought I'd be serving alongside him, not under him!" Sam whispered to himself.

Outside, Fireman Criddlington began talking. "Uh, but, sir? If Fireman Steele is to become the new Station Officer, does that mean that I'll be the only full-time fireman?"

"No, Criddlington, because you're getting a new colleague," Station Officer Boyce explained. Inside the building, Sam took a deep breath to calm his nerves, and then he opened the fire station's front door. Station Officer Boyce extended his hand in Sam's direction as Sam approached the group. "Please welcome Pontypandy's newest fireman, Fireman Sam!"

The townsfolk applauded in stunned amazement as Sam fell into line alongside Fireman Criddlington. Sam didn't dare look at Fireman Steele while he saluted Station Officer Boyce. He then looked for his brother in the crowd. Charlie's eyes were wide with surprise, but there was also a hint of pride in his expression.

A few minutes later, Station Officer Boyce dismissed the crowd, and the firemen went inside the station. Without saying a word, Station Officer Boyce and Fireman Steele went inside the office. Fireman Criddlington sat down at the table.

"Oh, 'eck! That was a surprise!" Fireman Criddlington exclaimed, rubbing his forehead. "I wasn't expecting that!" He looked up at Sam, who was still standing. "T-take a seat, Sam."

Sam did so, carefully placing his new fire helmet down on the table in front of him. Fireman Criddlington offered his hand to Sam.

"I'm Elvis. Welcome to Pontypandy, Fireman Sam. So, where do you come from?"

"Pontypandy," Sam replied. "I grew up here."

"Oh! So did I. I couldn't leave this place forever."

"Neither could I," Sam said, smiling slightly. "It's good to be back though."

An uncomfortable silence filled the room. After a couple of minutes, it was broken when Fireman Criddlington stood up. "Well, I'd better get back to work cleaning Jupiter. I'll see you later, Sam."

Sam was left on his own in the kitchen. He was about to start exploring the fire station, when he heard raised voices coming from inside the office. With his curiosity getting the better of him, Sam moved closer to the door to listen.

"…and I just don't see why HQ chose him! Of all people!" Fireman Steele exclaimed. "I don't care if he does have the best record from the Cardiff Fire Academy! I know everything that happened on that night ten years ago! He started the fire that killed old Mr Johnston!"

"You don't have any proof of that," Station Officer Boyce retorted. "The official report stated that the source of the fire was unknown."

"That was only because no one believed me when I said I saw a campfire in Sam's bedroom when I rescued him. By the time they conducted their investigation, there was no evidence left. It had all been burned."

"Be that as it may, Sam has been assigned here by HQ, so you'll just have to give him a second chance. He is an adult now, not a child. Plus, as I said, he did graduate from the best fire academy in Wales with the highest honours. Don't judge him based on an accident that happened when he was too young to realise what he was doing."

Fireman Steele sighed heavily. "Very well then. I will give the boy a chance to prove himself. Are we still doing that fire training this afternoon?"

"Of course. And don't worry. I'm sure Sam won't disappoint us."

"I hope not either," Sam muttered to himself as he moved away from the door. Feeling like a naughty schoolboy for eavesdropping, Sam headed into the garage to take a closer look at the station's fire engine.

…

Later that afternoon, Station Officer Boyce had just finished setting up the training exercise. Sam, Fireman Steele and Fireman Criddlington were lined up nearby, waiting to begin.

"Okay, everyone," Station Officer Boyce said as he finished lighting the last fire in a crate to contain it. "I have set up three different types of fires in these crates. The first one is an oil pan fire on a propane gas cooktop. As you can see, the gas canister is a safe distance away from the fire. The second is a chemical fire, but you do not know which chemicals are involved. And, finally, I have set up a basic toaster fire. Behind you, I have provided an assortment of firefighting tools and extinguishers for you to use. You will each have a go at putting out the fires, according to their seriousness. Fireman Sam? You will do this exercise first. Elvis? Please wait inside the fire station until it's your turn."

Once Elvis had gone inside, Station Officer Boyce took out a stop watch. "Are you ready, Sam?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Okay… Go!"

As Sam put on his breathing apparatus, he remembered what one of his lecturers at the Cardiff Fire Academy had said very early on in his training. _'Always turn off the fire's fuel source before you try to extinguish it.'_

With that knowledge in mind, Sam rushed over to the toaster fire, and he pulled out the power plug. He then turned his attention to the gas canister, and he safely turned off the gas. Only then did Sam turn his attention to the fires. Grabbing a fire blanket, he used it to smother the oil pan fire. He then used the dry powder extinguisher to douse the toaster fire. Finally, Sam grabbed the bucket of sand, and he tipped it over the chemical fire, putting that one out as well. As soon as he was sure all the fires were out, Sam removed his mask.

"Fires are out now, sir," Sam told Station Officer Boyce, who promptly stopped the stop watch.

"Excellent work, Fireman Sam!" he praised. "Three minutes and twenty-two seconds. I can see why you were the best at the Cardiff Fire Academy. You did well to remember to turn off both the electricity and the gas before you started dealing with the fires. Let's see if Fireman Criddlington can do any better."

Elvis was much slower than Sam, but he managed to get both the electrical and gas fires out. Sam flinched when he saw Elvis pick up the wet chemical extinguisher to put out the chemical fire. Station Officer Boyce and Fireman Steele took several steps back.

"Er, Elvis…?" Sam began. "Are you sure that's the right extinguisher to use?"

Elvis looked at it. "It says 'wet chemical'."

"Exactly. That's what it contains. But you can't put out chemicals with chemicals, can you?"

Elvis' eyes widened when he realised what Sam was getting at. "Oh! Whoops. Hehe! My mistake. Er… What do I use then?"

"You should know that by now, Criddlington," Fireman Steele said sternly.

"Oh, 'eck! I forget!"

"Show him, Fireman Sam," Station Officer Boyce instructed. "We don't have all day for this."

"Yes, sir," Sam replied. Picking up a bucket of sand, he held it out to Elvis. Elvis sheepishly used it to douse the chemical fire.

"Oh! Thank you, Sam. I forgot that you could use sand to put out fires."

"Well done, Fireman Sam," Fireman Steele said rather reluctantly. "But it's one thing to get a hundred percent in training exercises. It's quite another thing to do the right thing in a real emergency."

"I know that, sir," Sam replied. "Which is why I can't wait to attend my first real fire."

Station Officer Boyce and Fireman Steele exchanged a glance.

…

"I can't believe you didn't tell us you were going to become our new fireman!" Charlie admonished his brother later that evening. They were sitting on the stone wall at the quay, taking in the sunset.

"Sorry, Charlie," Sam apologised. "It was supposed to be a secret."

"Never mind. I'm just delighted that you're staying in Pontypandy!"

"Me too, Charlie. Me too…"

"What's wrong now, Sam?"

"Oh, it's nothing to worry you about, Charlie. But I have been thinking… Since I will be staying here in Pontypandy for the foreseeable future, I'd probably be better off having my own house. I might rent for a while until I can afford to buy a house of my own."

Charlie was surprised. "You don't want to stay with us?"

"Well, you do have a wife and family, Charlie. I don't want to interfere with that. Besides, I'm happy living by myself. I got quite used to it when I was living in Cardiff."

"I see. Well, I'm happy to help you find a place, if you like."

Sam smiled. "Thank you, Charlie. That will be very helpful."

 **Whew! That was a difficult chapter to write! I had to do a lot of research, but I hope I've got everything right when it comes to what to use when putting out fires. Please let me know if I haven't! I like to ensure I have the details correct. It's been interesting to see how firefighting tools and techniques have changed over the years. There are so many things they showed back in the early (original) series of Fireman Sam that we wouldn't dream of doing today!**


	3. Chapter 3 - New Faces

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to HiT Entertainment.**

Chapter 3 – New Faces

The next morning, Sam had just arrived at the fire station, when Fireman Steele asked to speak to him alone in the office. Sam reluctantly followed Fireman Steele into the office.

"Yes, sir?"

"Fireman Jones…"

Sam held up a hand. "Please, sir, I'd rather be known as Fireman Sam. Fireman Jones makes me sound old."

"Oh, er…right… I see… Er, well, the reason I wanted to see you alone was because I've been studying your personnel file. You have an outstanding record from the Cardiff Fire Academy, despite your past."

Sam exhaled deeply. "I don't have to try and guess what you mean by that, sir. I'm just surprised that you remember."

Fireman Steele locked eyes with Sam for a moment, but then he dropped his gaze. "How could I ever forget that night? It was one of the worst fires ever seen in Pontypandy. It was a miracle I even managed to rescue you in time, before the roof collapsed. What I'd like to know is, whatever possessed you to build a campfire in your bedroom?"

"I was just a boy then, sir. I really didn't know any better, but I do now. I've worked very hard to get this job, sir, but in all honestly, I never expected to be assigned here. After all, it is common practice for all the best firemen to be assigned to the Cardiff fire service."

"How did you get assigned here then?"

"The Chief Fire Officer at HQ felt it would be best, considering the recent deaths of my parents."

"So…your assignment here isn't permanent then?"

Sam shrugged. "That depends on how well I do, I suppose."

Fireman Steele stood up, and he placed a hand on Sam's shoulder. "I'm really sorry about what happened to your parents, Sam. We did everything we could to try and save them."

"I know that, sir," Sam replied sadly. "But now I can ensure that their deaths were not in vain, by saving others."

Fireman Steele smiled. "I like your attitude, Sam. You've really grown up since the last time I saw you."

"I would hope so, sir. It has been over a year since you last saw me."

At that moment, the alarm automatically went off, and the fax machine started printing a slip of paper with the emergency information on it. Fireman Steele tore it off and he read it quickly. "Well, Sam, it's not a fire, but it is a rescue. Young Norman Price has managed to get himself stuck up a tree in Pontypandy Park."

Running out of the office, Sam grabbed his helmet, and then he hurried after Fireman Steele and Elvis as they made their way into the garage. Fireman Steele jumped into the fire engine's driver's seat, while Sam and Elvis scrambled in the other side. Sam sat in the middle seat.

"All present and correct, sir," Elvis said as he fastened his seatbelt.

Fireman Steele activated the siren, and then he drove out of the garage.

"So, why do you call this fire engine, 'Jupiter'?" Sam asked as they raced down the road.

"It was Station Officer Boyce's idea to name her Jupiter," Elvis replied. "He loves studying outer space, you see, and Jupiter is his favourite planet."

"Oh. Well, I suppose it suits her."

Moments later, they arrived at the park, and they scrambled out of Jupiter. Sam saw Sarah, James, Trevor and two other women he didn't know, standing around a large tree.

"It's okay, Norman!" one of the women called up the tree. "Fireman Steele is here to save you!"

"Right, men! Get to work! Slip and pitch," Fireman Steele instructed, taking charge for the very first time.

Sam and Elvis were already retrieving the ladder from Jupiter. Between them, they carried the ladder over to the tree. Looking up, Sam saw the same red-headed boy he'd seen on the skateboard two days ago, clinging to a very unstable-looking branch. Once Elvis and Fireman Steele had raised the ladder vertically, Sam grabbed the ladder's rope, and he adjusted the ladder to the correct height.

"That's it, Fireman Sam," Fireman Steele declared. "Right! Into the tree."

Sam and Elvis pushed the ladder against the tree trunk. Elvis looked up nervously. "Er…He's quite a long way up. I don't like heights much…"

The branch Norman was on began to crack. "Help!" Norman shrieked.

"Hang on!" Sam called, and he pushed Elvis out of the way. "Hold the ladder still, Elvis."

"Okay, Sam."

Sam made his way quickly, but cautiously, up the ladder. "There now," he said once he'd reached the limb Norman was on. "It's Norman, isn't it?"

The boy nodded tearfully. "Help me!"

Sam held out his hand. "Grab hold of me. I'll get you down."

Norman hesitated, but then the branch cracked loudly again. "Help!" Norman yelped as the branch broke away from the tree. Everyone gasped as Sam instinctively made a grab for Norman when the boy started falling. By pure chance, Sam managed to catch hold of Norman's wrist. Pulling hard, Sam manoeuvred Norman over to the ladder. As soon as he could, Norman grabbed hold of the ladder, and he pulled himself onto it, standing just in front of Sam.

"That's it, Norman," Sam soothed. "Just take a moment to catch your breath, and then we'll climb down."

A few minutes later, Sam and Norman were back on solid ground.

"Norman!" the woman who'd spoken before, exclaimed, as she hugged him tightly. "Oh! Thank goodness, you're safe! I was so sure you were going to fall when that branch broke."

"He very nearly did," Sam said, catching his breath. "What I'd like to know is, how on earth did he manage to get all the way up there without a ladder? And why?"

"Er…" Norman faltered.

"It was our fault, Uncle Sam," James admitted. "Norman said he'd climbed the world's tallest tree before, so we made him climb that tree to prove it."

"And then he got stuck," Sarah added.

Sam shook his head in disbelief. "You two never cease to amaze me with the things you come up with! Then again, I suppose I know where you get it from… Sarah and James, you do realise that Norman was only bragging?"

"Yes, Uncle Sam," the twins replied dejectedly.

"I wasn't bragging!" Norman interjected. "I really did climb the tallest tree in the world!"

Sam took the opportunity to turn on him. "And nobody likes people who tell tall stories like that, Norman. As you can see, they can get you into far more trouble than they're worth."

Whimpering, Norman hid behind his mother. "Muuum! Say something!"

The woman folded her arms stubbornly across her chest. "I will do no such thing, Norman Price! It's about time you had a proper scolding from the fire service! You've wasted their valuable time with your foolishness! This is about the fifth time you've been rescued by them, and we've only been living in this town for two months!"

"Oohh! Mum!"

Fireman Steele cleared his throat. "Right, men. Make up."

Sam and Elvis began packing up the ladder. "That was very brave, Sam," Elvis said quietly while they worked.

"I was just doing my job, Elvis. But how on earth did you become a fireman if you're scared of heights?"

"Er… Don't ask me, Sam. I guess I just did well in everything else."

Sam smiled. "Like putting out chemical fires, you mean?"

Elvis chuckled nervously. "Hehe! Er, yeah…"

Sam and Elvis secured the ladder to Jupiter. Just as they were finishing, Sam felt a small tug on the bottom of his coat. Looking down, he saw Norman, Sarah and James.

"Thank you for saving me, Fireman Sam," Norman said.

"That's quite all right, Norman. But you need to be really careful when you're playing in trees. They're not as safe as playgrounds, you know."

"I know. It won't happen again."

"That'll be the day," Fireman Steele muttered to himself. Then, louder, he said, "Fireman Sam? Would you care to drive Jupiter back to the station?"

Sam was surprised. "Thank you, sir! I'd love to!"

Once Sam, Fireman Steele and Elvis were aboard Jupiter, Sam started her up. He then drove them safely back to the fire station.

…

"Excellent work out there today, young Sam," Fireman Steele said later that evening in the kitchen as Sam was preparing to head on home. "You kept calm in an extremely risky situation. That is exactly what we need around here."

"Does that mean all is forgiven, sir?" Sam asked hopefully.

Fireman Steele smiled. "I forgave you a long time ago, Sam. It's time for all of us to move on. We can't change the past, but we can change what happens in the future."

Sam smiled. "I needed to hear that, sir. Thank you."

They shook hands.

"However," Fireman Steele continued, "You should know that I am not yet convinced by your assignment here. As far as I'm concerned, you're here on probation. If you can convince me that this fire brigade can't do without you, then I'll be more than happy to see you stay. But, one wrong move, and I'll be contacting HQ personally to express my concerns and recommend your reassignment to another fire brigade."

Sam exhaled deeply, and he dropped his gaze. "I see. Is this how you treat all your new recruits, or is it just me?"

Fireman Steele frowned sternly. "I'll leave you to figure that one out for yourself. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, sir," Sam said quietly as he picked up his carry bag.

On his way home, Sam made a detour to the town's small cemetery. He picked a handful of wildflowers on his way. When he reached the cemetery, Sam went straight over to his parents' grave. It was marked by a large headstone. A lump rose in his throat as he respectfully placed the wildflowers down on the headstone.

"Well, mum and dad, I guess I'm back home for good now. I hope I can stay, because I want to do everything I can to make you both proud of me."

Sam stood in respectful silence for a moment, before he left the cemetery. He didn't notice Station Officer Boyce watching him in the distance.

"Poor young man," Station Officer Boyce muttered to himself. "Nothing will ever be the same for him again."

After he'd left the cemetery, Sam walked down the high street. He saw Norman's mother and the other woman he'd seen earlier when he'd rescued Norman, standing outside the café, talking. Sam started to walk past them, but Norman's mother saw him.

"Oh! Yoo-hoo! Fireman er…"

Rolling his eyes, Sam changed directions and he approached the women. "Hello there."

"I just wanted to thank you for rescuing my Norman," Norman's mother said. "It was very brave of you. Oh, I'm Dilys Price."

"Fireman Sam," Sam said, offering Dilys his hand. Dilys giggled like a silly schoolgirl as she shook Sam's hand.

"Oh, my! Haven't you got a strong handgrip?"

Sam chuckled awkwardly. The other lady curtsied shallowly in Sam's direction.

"Bella Lasagne," she said in an Italian accent.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Bella," Sam said.

"I suspect you're very new to Pontypandy," Dilys interjected. "Never mind. It won't take you long to get to know everyone here."

"Uh…well, actually, I was born here," Sam told her.

Dilys was surprised. "Oohh! Really? But you must've been away for quite a while to not know who we are."

"It's only been a year…"

"Hey, Sam!"

Hearing his brother calling him, Sam turned around. Charlie ran over to the group.

"Hello there, Charlie," Sam said. "I was just on my way home, but Dilys wanted to thank me for rescuing her son."

"I heard about that. Surely, you must've been scared? Especially when he fell!"

"No, not really…" Sam didn't really know how to explain what he'd felt at that moment. It had mostly been a massive adrenalin rush, but that was what he loved most about being a fireman; that feeling of not knowing what was going to happen next.

"Do you-a know Fireman Sam?" Bella asked Charlie.

"Of course, Bella! Sam's my younger brother."

Dilys' eye widened in realisation. "Oh! I didn't realise you were a Jones! You two don't look alike."

Sam and Charlie glanced at each other. "I look like our dad," Charlie explained, "and Sam takes after mum. At least…well…"

Sam tightened his grip around the handle of his carry bag. "Let's go home, Charlie," he whispered. He walked away before anyone could stop him.

"Was it something I said?" Dilys wondered.

"Sorry about Sam, Dilys," Charlie apologised. "He still hasn't gotten over our parents' deaths, I'm afraid."

Bella stepped closer to Charlie. "Is there-a anything we can do to-a help?"

"I don't think so, Bella. Bronwyn says he needs to get over it in his own time. Anyway, I guess I'd better go home as well now. Bye ladies!"

Charlie ran after Sam. As soon as he'd caught up with him, he placed an arm around Sam's shoulders. Sam quickly wiped a tear away.

"I'm sorry, Sam," Charlie apologised. "But you do need to start talking about it…"

"No, Charlie," Sam muttered. "I don't want to talk about it, and I don't want to think about it, so you can just stop it now."

"Okay! Sorry. Just trying to help."

"Well, please don't!" Sam snapped, brushing Charlie's arm off his shoulders. "You're always trying to help me when I don't want your help! If you want to do anything helpful, you can just leave me alone!"

And with that, Sam stormed off down the street by himself. Sighing despondently, Charlie followed him at a distance.


	4. Chapter 4 - Moving On

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to HiT Entertainment.**

Chapter 4 – Moving On

In the dawn light the following morning, Charlie made his way downstairs to make himself a cup of tea, before he set sail to catch some fish. Glancing out of the window, he saw Sam, fully dressed in his fireman's uniform, leaning on the quayside railing outside. With a heavy sigh, Charlie made a cup of tea for his brother as well. He then carried both cups of tea outside.

Sam glanced over his shoulder when he heard Charlie approaching. Smiling, Charlie handed a cup of tea to Sam, while he kept the other one for himself.

"Thank you," Sam whispered. "Sorry I snapped at you yesterday. I didn't mean to."

"That's okay, Sam. What on earth are you doing out here so early?" Charlie wondered.

Sam exhaled deeply and he bowed his head. "I couldn't sleep."

Deeply concerned, Charlie placed a hand on Sam's shoulder. "How long has that been going on?"

"Too long," Sam replied. He sighed again. "I keep having the same nightmare over and over, ever since you phoned to tell me what had happened. I can see them both out there on the boat, and then a giant, fiery dragon emerges from the sea, and it gobbles them up. I know that sounds rather silly, but it frightens me so much that I end up waking up in a cold sweat. After that, I find I'm too frightened to go back to sleep."

Charlie moved his arm around Sam's shoulders. "Bronwyn keeps telling me not to interfere with your grief, but I know it'll take more than just time for you to move on from this tragedy. Why don't you come out on the boat with me now?"

"I don't see how that will help."

"I'd like to spend some brotherly time with you before you become too bogged down in your work. Let's go. We'll be back before your shift starts."

"Okay, then," Sam agreed.

Before long, Sam and Charlie were out fishing near Pontypandy Island. Working together, they managed to haul in a large net of fish.

"I still can't believe you turned your back on all this to become a fireman," Charlie said as they dragged in the netful of fish. Sam was just about to respond, when Charlie slipped on the wet deck. "Whoa!"

Sam made a lunge for him, but he was too late. Charlie landed, quite heavily, on his posterior.

"Are you all right, Charlie?" Sam asked with concern as he helped his brother up.

"Yes, thank you, Sam. Just injured my pride, that's all. Anyway, now that we have all those fish safely on board, there's something I'd like to show you."

"Okay. But we mustn't be too much longer. I need to get to the station in about an hour."

"You'll get there with plenty of time to spare," Charlie replied as he started up the boat.

Minutes later, Charlie stopped the boat out in the middle of the bay.

"Uh, Charlie?" Sam began. "Why are you stopping here?"

Charlie didn't respond as he removed something from his fishing chest. Sam froze when he saw that it was a floral wreath.

"Charlie… You don't…" Sam couldn't take his eyes off the wreath as, with tears in his eyes, Charlie handed it to him.

"I've been doing this every single morning since they…" he whispered. "But I think it's your turn now."

Sam backed away, pushing the wreath back into Charlie's hands. "I don't think so, Charlie. I'm not ready to say goodbye to them."

"You must, Sam. Otherwise, the nightmares will keep plaguing you. You haven't had the same closure that Bronwyn and I have had. Please. It'll do you more good than you realise."

Sam reluctantly took the wreath back. He looked at it for a moment before he made his way over to the edge of the boat. With a heavy sigh, he carefully and respectfully placed the wreath in the water. He watched it begin to float away out to sea.

"Goodbye, mum and dad," Sam whispered tearfully. "You died doing what you loved, and you will always be together now, safe in each other's arms. I love you."

Sam remained where he was for several minutes, crying softly. Charlie finally came over to him, and he pulled Sam into a tight embrace.

"We'll always have each other, Sam," he said softly. "Nothing can alter the fact that you're my brother, and I love you very much."

"I love you too, Charlie," Sam choked out. He wriggled out of Charlie's hug. "We need to head back now, so I'm not late for work."

"Of course," Charlie agreed, and he started up his boat again.

…

Later that morning, Sam was sitting in the kitchen at the fire station, filling out an incident report on Norman's rescue from the day before, while Elvis prepared the lunch. Station Officer Boyce and Fireman Steele were inside the office, discussing something in private.

With a sigh, Sam set down his pen. "Well, that's all the paperwork done," he said as he stood up. Going over to the office, he knocked softly on the door.

"Come in!" Station Officer Boyce called.

Sam entered the room, and he handed over the incident report to Station Officer Boyce. "Incident report for Norman Price's rescue yesterday, sir," he explained.

"Thank you, Fireman Sam," Station Officer Boyce replied, as he placed the incident report in a tray on his desk. "Thank you, Fireman Steele, you may leave us now. Sam? I'd like to talk to you for a moment, please."

Fireman Steele left the room. "Yes, sir?" Sam said once Fireman Steele had closed the door behind him.

Station Officer Boyce leaned forward over his desk. "Sam, I want you to tell me, honestly, how are you coping with your grief?"

Sam was a little bit surprised by the question. "Why do you ask, sir?"

"Well, I couldn't help noticing how today you're been acting somewhat…cheerful, for want of a better word…"

"You mean, I'm being more optimistic?" Sam suggested.

"Exactly!"

Sam nodded before he replied. "Well, sir, the truth of the matter is that I've finally had some closure. This morning, I accepted the fact that my parents have gone, and I said a proper goodbye to them. I admit that I do feel like a tonne has been lifted from my shoulders, and I'm ready to start moving on with my life."

Station Officer Boyce gulped down the lump that had risen in his throat. "I-I don't quite know what to say now, Sam. I'm just glad to know that, emotionally, you believe you'll be okay now."

"Thank you, sir."

"Right, now, to the task at hand. This afternoon, I want you and Elvis to give Jupiter a thorough locker inspection. Make sure nothing is missing that should be in there. I have a list here of what items should be in each locker." And Station Officer Boyce handed over a clipboard with the attached list.

"Thank you, sir. Will do," Sam replied. "Is that all, sir?"

Before Station Officer Boyce could respond, a smoke alarm went off. He and Sam hurried out of the office to find the kitchen rapidly filling with smoke.

"What the blazes?" Station Officer Boyce exclaimed.

"Oh, no! It's the potato mash!" Elvis exclaimed as he burst inside from the garage.

Looking at the stove, Sam saw that the whole cooktop was ablaze. He instinctively grabbed the nearest fire extinguisher. "Stand back, Elvis!"

"I've turned the gas off!" Fireman Steele yelled from the back of the building.

Sam promptly began dousing the flames with the powder from the fire extinguisher. Fireman Steele joined in with another extinguisher, and between them, they managed to get the fire under control.

"Fire's out now, sir," Sam said to Station Officer Boyce a moment later.

"Well done the both of you!" Station Officer Boyce praised. "I must say, you two seem to work quite well together."

"Thank you, sir," Sam and Fireman Steele replied in unison. Surprised, they glanced at each other.

"And now, Criddlington…" Station Officer Boyce said, turning on the perpetrator. "I want to see three duplicate incident reports on my desk within the hour, or else you might face a suspension for your carelessness! One report will stay with you as a reminder, another will stay with me, and the third will be sent to HQ, to explain why we need them to fund a new stove." And with that, Station Officer Boyce stormed back inside his officer.

"Oh, 'eck!" Elvis exclaimed, bowing his head in shame.

Sam patted his colleague's shoulder kindly. "Never mind, Elvis. We all make mistakes. We're just lucky it was only the stove that was destroyed this time. It could've been much worse…" Sam's voice trailed off sadly.

"I know," Elvis muttered miserably.

Fireman Steele cleared his throat. "It looks as though we'll be having take-away lunch again. I'll go and phone Bella's. Sam? Would you mind very much popping down to Bella's to pick up our lunch order in a few minutes?"

"Not at all, sir. I could do with a walk."

"Good. I'll order our usual platter of sandwiches then. Of course, it wouldn't be our 'usual' if Criddlington didn't keep burning everything."

Elvis looked ready to burst into tears.

"Why don't you get started on those incident reports, Elvis?" Sam suggested kindly. "We can clean this mess up once it's cooled down a bit more." Leaning closer to Elvis, Sam whispered, "And if I were you, I'd stay out Station Officer Boyce's way for the rest of the day."

"Okay, Sam," Elvis agreed. Then he added sadly, "I mess everything up."

"Not as much as I have," Sam muttered under his breath. Luckily, Elvis didn't hear him.

…

Later that afternoon, after Sam and Elvis had carried out the locker inspection on Jupiter, Sam took the checklist into Station Officer Boyce's office.

"Jupiter's locker inspection has been completed, sir," Sam said as he entered the office.

"Excellent!" Station Officer Boyce replied as he took the checklist from Sam. "Was anything missing?"

"Just a couple of fire extinguishers, and we've restocked the first aid kit."

"Good. Well done."

"Uh, sir…?"

"Yes?"

"I've been wondering… You can tell me to mind my own business if you like, but would it help Elvis if he had some more training?"

Station Officer Boyce chuckled. "I know he seems like a bit of an amateur during training, but he does do one thing very well, which you're yet to see."

"And what's that, sir?"

"Elvis is invaluable in a real emergency. He may not have a head for heights, but he has the amazing ability to push his fears and clumsiness aside whenever the situation calls for it."

"I see," Sam muttered thoughtfully. "Well, hopefully, it won't be long before I do see Elvis in action."

 **Thank you so much for your feedback everyone! I'm so glad everyone's enjoying this story so far.**


	5. Chapter 5 - Saving Trevor

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to HiT Entertainment**

Chapter 5 – Saving Trevor

The following day, Sam arrived at work feeling much happier than he'd been in weeks. He whistled cheerfully as he sat down at the kitchen table to read the morning's newspaper and have a cup of tea.

"You sound very cheerful this morning, Sam," Elvis remarked while he poured Sam's tea.

"Well, I just happened to have had a very good sleep last night," Sam replied.

Station Officer Boyce cleared his throat as he stepped out of his office. Sam promptly leapt to attention, while Elvis, caught off-guard, raised the pot of tea to his forehead to salute Station Officer Boyce, but he ended up spraying some of the water on Sam.

"Ow!" Sam yelped, jumping away from the hot water. "Elvis!"

"Whoops! Sorry, Sam," Elvis said sheepishly. He carefully placed the teapot down on a mat on the table.

Station Officer Boyce shook his head in disbelief. "Today, Fireman Steele and I need to go to Newtown to finalise a few things for our promotions, so you two will have to cope by yourselves today." He looked sceptically at Elvis. "Do you think you can manage things between you?"

"Of course, sir," Sam replied confidently.

Station Officer Boyce smiled. "In that case, Sam, I'm placing you in charge of the station today."

Sam was surprised. "Uh, but… Thank you, sir. I won't let you down."

"You'd better not," Station Officer Boyce said warningly. "Right, Steele! I'm ready to go when you are! Oh, Sam? You'll find a list of things that need to be done today in my office. Make sure it's all done before we get back."

"Yes, sir." Sam sighed as Station Officer Boyce and Fireman Steele left. He collapsed into the nearest seat. "Great! I don't know if I'm ready for such a big responsibility."

"Well, Station Officer Boyce obviously thinks you are," Elvis said. "And I'm sure you'll do a much better job than I ever could!"

"Hmm… Well, I suppose I'd better go and see what jobs we need to complete before they get back." Going into the office, Sam saw the list in the middle of the desk. He picked it up. "Right… Let's see… Wash and polish Jupiter… File all the reports in the tray on the desk… Tidy up the locker area… And finally, vacuum the office. Well, that should keep us busy for most of the day. I suppose I'll make a start on the filing. Uh, Elvis?"

Elvis poked his head into the office. "Yes, Sam?"

"Can you wash and polish Jupiter, please?"

"Sure thing, Sam!" Elvis eagerly agreed. "I love washing Jupiter!" And with that, Elvis dashed away. Smiling, Sam shook his head in amazement.

A few hours later, Sam had almost finished with the filing, when the alarm sounded. Dropping the papers he'd been holding, Sam hurried over to the fax machine. He tore off the slip of paper that came through, and then he read it aloud.

"Fire at two Vale Road."

Elvis, who'd been about to start vacuuming the office, grabbed his helmet, and he ran towards the garage. Sam followed him in hot pursuit. Upon reaching Jupiter, Sam climbed into the driver's seat, while Elvis jumped in the other side.

"All present and correct, Elvis," Sam said.

"Let's go, Sam!"

After he'd turned on the siren, Sam drove Jupiter out of the garage. Elvis glanced uncertainly across at Sam.

"Er, Sam? Do you know where Vale Road is?"

"Yes, Elvis. I grew up here, remember?"

"Oh! Right! I forgot."

"Do you know who lives there now?"

"I think that's Trevor's house, Sam. I hope he's okay."

"Me too, Elvis."

Moments later, Sam stopped Jupiter outside the townhouse. Thick plumes of black smoke were pouring out of each window. A large crowd of onlookers, including Charlie, Bronwyn, Sarah, James and Norman, had gathered across the street to watch.

"Great fires of London!" Sam explained. "That fire's really taken hold! We'd better be prepared for anything, Elvis."

Elvis nodded in agreement. After they'd climbed out of Jupiter, Sam and Elvis put on their breathing apparatus.

"Stay well back, everyone!" Sam instructed the crowd, while Elvis unrolled the hoses. Sam then grabbed the crowbar out of Jupiter's cab, and he proceeded to force the townhouse's front door open. As soon as the door swung open, a wall of flames immediately flew up in Sam's face. Luckily, his face mask protected him from the worst of it.

Before Sam could give the instruction, Elvis was down on one knee beside him, spraying the fire with water from the hose. Darting back to Jupiter, Sam grabbed a fire extinguisher, before he dashed back inside the house. In the darkness, Sam tried to find the source of the blaze, but the fire was too big.

"Elvis? I'm going to make my way to the back of the house to turn off the electricity and gas. You keep trying to contain it!"

"Right, Sam!" Elvis agreed.

Using the extinguisher, Sam managed to find his way to the stairwell. He crawled into the small cupboard underneath it, and he turned off the electricity and gas.

"Power and gas are off now, Elvis!" Sam shouted. He heard Elvis mutter something in the distance. "What was that, Elvis?"

"Understood, Sam!"

Sam was just about to go and help Elvis put out the rest of the fire, when he heard someone coughing weakly above and behind him. Turning, Sam saw the silhouette of Trevor, slumped over in the stairwell.

"Trevor!" Sam gasped. He promptly climbed the stairs to where Trevor was, and he expertly pulled the semi-conscious man onto his shoulders using the fireman's lift. He grunted a bit under Trevor's weight, but then he began to make his way quickly, but cautiously, towards the front door.

Finally, Sam emerged outside, carrying Trevor. Approaching the anxious crowd on the other side of the street, Sam knelt, and then he gently lowered Trevor over his head and onto the ground. Bronwyn hurried over to them, while Sam rolled Trevor into the correct recovery position.

"Is he hurt, Sam?" Bronwyn asked with concern.

Sam shook his head. "I'm not sure, but at this stage, nobody is to move him. He's suffering from smoke inhalation and shock. Bronwyn, I need you to go to Jupiter's second locker on the left-hand side. You'll find in there a small oxygen kit and a blanket. Do you know what I want you to do?"

Bronwyn nodded. "Yes, Sam. I'll make sure he gets the oxygen, and Charlie can help me cover him with the blanket."

Giving Bronwyn a thumbs-up, Sam dashed back over to Jupiter's right-hand side, and he connected the second fire hose. Once he'd turned the water on, Sam ran back inside the burning house to help Elvis.

"Fire's coming under control now, Sam!" Elvis told him.

"Excellent work, Elvis!" Sam praised. "Now, let's work together to finish putting it out."

A few minutes later, Sam and Elvis emerged from the townhouse, tired but triumphant. As soon as they'd removed their face masks, the crowd erupted into cheers and applause. While Elvis took in the praise, Sam went over to Bronwyn, Charlie and Trevor.

"How is he?" Sam asked, kneeling down beside Trevor. He was glad to see that Bronwyn had managed to get the oxygen mask on properly, and that the blanket had been wrapped snuggly around Trevor.

"He's been dropping in and out of consciousness," Bronwyn replied. "And his breathing is a bit too shallow for my liking, but I'm not a nurse, so I'm not sure."

Using his basic knowledge of first aid, Sam examined Trevor. "Right," he said once he'd finished. "I'm going to phone the Newtown hospital for an ambulance. Please, stay with him, Bronwyn."

"I will, Sam."

Returning to Jupiter's cab, Sam picked up the phone, and he called for an ambulance. He'd just finished, when Dilys and Bella arrived at the scene.

"Trevor? Trevor!" Dilys called anxiously. Sam quickly stepped in to hold her back.

"No, Dilys! I can't let you go to him, I'm afraid. An ambulance is on its way from Newtown, and he is not to be moved until it gets here."

"But, Fireman Sam…!" Dilys protested. "I need to be with him!"

Sam placed his hands firmly on his hips. "Well, unless you have first aid training, there's nothing you can do to help him. Now, just leave this to the professionals, please."

Reluctantly, Dilys backed down.

Before long, the ambulance arrived, and poor Trevor was taken away to the Newtown hospital. Since she was not family, Dilys was not allowed to go with him, so she and Bella tearfully left the scene. Soon, only Sam and Elvis were left, but they had a lot more work to do before they could return to the fire station.

The first thing Sam did was to put up some warning tape across the front of the townhouse, while Elvis packed up the hoses. They then put on high-vis vests before they re-entered the building, looking for clues as to what might have started the blaze.

After about half an hour, Sam and Elvis finished their investigation. Exhausted, they ensured that the house was, more-or-less, secure, before they climbed inside Jupiter.

"We'll have to come back as soon as possible to board up the windows and doors," Sam told Elvis. "Even though most things downstairs will be completely unsalvageable, looters could still get in and rob stuff from upstairs. At least the building's still structurally sound."

"Can we go back to the station now, Sam?" Elvis asked with a yawn. "I'm so tired!"

Sam had just started up Jupiter, when he saw a small sign in the window of the townhouse next door to Trevor's. It read – FOR LEASE. Sam smiled slightly.

"I think I may have just found my new house," Sam muttered to himself as he drove away down the street.

…

A couple of hours later, Station Officer Boyce and Fireman Steele arrived back at the fire station. They were amazed to find Elvis slumped over in an armchair, fast asleep.

"What the blazes!" Fireman Steele exclaimed. He gave Elvis a nudge. "Criddlington! Wake up!"

Elvis just continued snoring softly. Frowning, Station Officer Boyce entered his office. He placed his hands sternly on his hips when he saw Sam sleeping as well, with his head and arms resting on the desk. He was just about to try and wake Sam, when he saw a freshly filled in report underneath Sam's hand. Station Officer Boyce carefully removed the report, and he started to read it.

"What is this?" Fireman Steele said as he also entered the office. "Lying down on the job day?"

"Shh!" Station Officer Boyce held his finger up to his lips. "Read this."

Fireman Steele also read the report. "Ah! Now I know why they're both fast asleep. Obviously, they both need more stamina, but we'll work on that. Would you like me to wake them, sir?"

"No, let them sleep. They'll wake up anyway, if there's an emergency. In the meantime, why don't we go and take a look at the fire damage at Trevor's place?"

They were just about to leave the office when Sam stirred and he blinked open his eyes. Seeing his bosses in front of him, Sam promptly snapped to attention.

"Sorry I was asleep, sir!" Sam exclaimed anxiously.

"Relax, Sam," Station Officer Boyce said kindly. He held up Sam's report on the fire. "I've read your report, and I must say that, if it's true, I'm quite impressed."

"There were many witnesses, sir," Sam told him. "And the hospital phoned about an hour ago. They said that Mr Evans is recovering well, but they're going to keep him overnight for observation."

Station Officer Boyce nodded. "I noticed that you haven't yet filled in the cause of the fire."

"That's because Elvis and I couldn't figure it out, sir," Sam explained. "I've already phoned the Newtown fire service, requesting an investigation team to be sent out." He glanced at the clock on the wall. "They should be here in about fifteen minutes."

Station Officer Boyce and Fireman Steele exchanged glances. Then Station Officer Boyce stepped forwards, and he placed a hand on Sam's shoulder.

"Fireman Sam. I am so impressed with the way you conducted yourself during my absence, that I've decided to officially appoint you as the lead fireman of the Pontypandy fire service."

Sam was taken aback. "Uh, thank you, sir. But I was just doing my job."

"You've already proven to me that you are a capable and responsible leader, Sam. And I'm sure that with you as the lead fireman, Fireman Steele will have nothing to worry about once he becomes Station Officer in a few days."

Fireman Steele looked credulously at Sam. "Well, you might be convinced, Boyce, but I'm not. He's only been here for less than a week. It's going to take a lot longer for him to prove himself to me."

Sam rolled his eyes and he sighed tiredly. "I'm going to head down to Trevor's place now. I need to meet with the Newtown investigation team."

"Take Jupiter, Sam," Station Officer Boyce instructed. "I'm coming with you."

"Okay, sir," Sam agreed.

"Oh, and, Sam?"

"Yes, sir?"

"I'm going to notify HQ of my decision to appoint you as lead fireman of the Pontypandy fire service. That way, Fireman Steele won't be able to do anything about it."

Shaking his head in disbelief, Sam walked away towards the garage. He hated being in the middle of an argument. Especially if he was the cause of it.

…

Sam returned home to his brother's place at sunset. Charlie, Bronwyn and the twins had just started dinner when he entered the café.

"Uncle Sam!" the twins exclaimed in unison.

"You were amazing the way you rescued Mr Evans!" James added excitedly.

"Settle down, you two, and let Sam get settled," Bronwyn told the twins. She turned to Sam. "Is there anything you need, Sam?"

"Just a large meal, and a long, hot soak in the shower," Sam replied as he sat down at one of the tables. He sighed heavily. "That was the biggest fire I've ever seen," he added quietly. "There's only so much they can teach you in training."

"But you did everything right, didn't you?" Charlie asked.

"Yes… And I've been promoted."

Bronwyn accidentally knocked over a glass of water in surprise. "Already? You haven't even been in the fire service for a week!"

Sam sighed. "I know. But Station Officer Boyce just appointed me as lead fireman in light of what happened today." He hung his head sadly. "He's expecting so much from me. I don't want to let him down."

"You won't, Sam," Charlie reassured him. "Not after what we all saw today. The kids are right. You were amazing!"

"How is Trevor?" Bronwyn wondered as she placed a large plate of food in front of Sam.

"Recovering well. He should be released from hospital tomorrow. I don't know where he'll live though. His house is still structurally sound, but it will need extensive repairs inside. And that reminds me. I think I might have found a house to rent. I'll phone the agent tomorrow."

"You don't want to stay here with us, Uncle Sam?" Sarah asked sadly.

"I'm more used to living on my own now," Sam explained. "Besides, it'll be fun to have you two visit me."

"Yeah!" James agreed. "That'll be so cool!"

With that settled, Sam began to eat his dinner.

"So, did you figure out what started the fire at Trevor's place?" Charlie wondered.

"Yes, thanks to the Newtown investigation team," Sam replied. "It seems that a fan he was using to cool his house was faulty. They're going to examine it more closely in Newtown. We should know more in a few days."

"Oh, dear! Poor Trevor," Bronwyn sympathised. "I'll ask Dilys and Bella to help us get him back on his feet."

Sam sighed tiredly and he pushed his half-eaten meal aside. "I think that shower will have to wait until morning. I'm too exhausted to stay awake for much longer."

"Okay, Sam," Bronwyn agreed. "I'll bring you up some nice, warm soup in a minute, so you don't go to bed hungry."

"Thank you, Bronwyn," Sam said gratefully as he stood up. "I guess there are some advantages to living with other people."

A few minutes later, Bronwyn carefully carried a tray with a bowl of soup on it, upstairs. Upon entering the guest bedroom, she sighed empathetically when she saw Sam lying down on the bed, still fully dressed in his fireman's uniform, fast asleep.

"Poor Sam," she whispered as she set the tray down on the desk. Then, she gently shook her brother-in-law awake. Sam groaned as he reluctantly opened his eyes. "Sam, you need to get undressed before you go to bed."

"Sorry," Sam replied with a yawn, and he sat up. "That bed just looked so inviting…"

Bronwyn patted his shoulder kindly. "I know. But I think you'll be much more comfortable if you don't sleep in your uniform."

Sam couldn't disagree with that.

 **Sorry this chapter is so long. I hope you all enjoy it though!**


	6. Chapter 6 - Pulling Rank

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to HiT Entertainment.**

Chapter 6 – Pulling Rank

Sam had one of the best night's sleep he'd had in weeks, and he arrived at work early the next morning, having first gone to visit the house for lease in Vale Road. The real estate agent had been very helpful, and Sam had happily agreed to the lease after looking through the house. He planned to move in over the weekend, during his off-duty hours.

"You're here early today, Sam," Station Officer Boyce remarked as soon as he saw Sam preparing some tea in the kitchen.

"I had no reason to sleep in, sir," Sam replied. "And I've already had a full morning."

"Oh, really? Well, I have a lot of work to do myself, before I leave tomorrow."

"Anything I can do to help?"

"Well, the breathing apparatus is due for a complete check. Do you think you can handle it?"

"Of course, sir. I'll get to it as soon as I've finished my tea. Would you like a cup, sir?"

"I'd love one! Yours can't be any worse than Criddlington's… It's his day off today anyway, so I suppose we must count our blessings."

"He does try his best, sir," Sam pointed out.

"Yes… Well, I'll be in my office if you need me."

Sam sighed as Station Officer Boyce went inside the office. He then set about preparing his boss' tea. Once it was ready, Sam took it inside the office. He then settled down at the kitchen table to finish drinking his own tea.

Later, Sam had only just finished checking the breathing apparatus, when the alarm went off. He quickly loaded all of the breathing apparatus' back into one of Jupiter's lockers. Seconds later, Fireman Steele and Station Officer Boyce ran into the garage. Fireman Steele handed Sam his helmet.

"The breathing apparatus is fully operational, sir," Sam told Station Officer Boyce.

"Excellent, but we don't need it this time," Station Officer Boyce replied as they all climbed inside Jupiter. "A tree branch has fallen on James Jones at the picnic grounds."

Sam immediately felt sick, but he just as quickly managed to compose himself. Taking a deep breath, he started up Jupiter. Fireman Steele glanced at Sam.

"I can drive, if you-"

"All present and correct, sir," Sam said to Station Officer Boyce, ignoring Fireman Steele's suggestion.

"Good. Let's go."

Fireman Steele activated the siren, and Sam drove away.

…

As Sam drove Jupiter towards the picnic grounds, he tried desperately hard not to think about his nephew, and how badly he might be injured. Personal feelings for potential victims was something Sam knew he'd have to learn to push aside. He needed to stay focused on the emergency tasks at hand, or he could put others in danger.

When they arrived at the picnic grounds, Sam saw Sarah standing near a gate, waving frantically.

"Where is he, Sarah?" Sam asked as he and the others climbed out of Jupiter.

"He's over there, Uncle Sam!" Sarah replied, pointing towards the forest. Squinting in the bright sunlight, Sam could just see James lying under the fallen branch on the other side of the picnic ground.

"Right, we'll need the chainsaw and a blanket," Sam said as his training automatically came to the fore. He didn't even see Station Officer Boyce and Fireman Steele exchange glances as he grabbed the chainsaw out of Jupiter's left rear locker. Sam was just about to run over to James, when he realised that he'd accidentally pulled rank. "Sorry, sir. I didn't-"

"What are you waiting for, Fireman Sam?" Station Officer Boyce snapped. "Hurry! I'll fetch the blanket."

Sam promptly bolted after Sarah. He easily overtook her, despite the heavy chainsaw in his hands. As soon as Sam reached James, he knelt beside him.

"James?"

"I'm okay, Uncle Sam," James whispered. Then he shivered. "I can't move my leg though."

Looking, Sam saw that James' right leg was pinned under the thickest part of the branch.

"I'm sorry," James continued. "We were flying our kite, but it got tangled in the tree, so I climbed up to get it. Then the branch broke…"

"It's okay, James," Sam soothed. "We're here now. Just try and relax."

Sarah sniffled behind Sam. "He will be okay, won't be, Uncle Sam?"

"Of course! Now, I want you to stand well back, Sarah…"

Station Officer Boyce and Fireman Steele joined them then.

"How is he, Fireman Sam?" Fireman Steele asked.

"He's suffering from a bit of shock, sir," Sam replied. "Can you wrap him in the blanket, please, while I deal with the branch?"

Fireman Steele did so, and Sam started up the chainsaw. James whimpered fearfully as Sam began cutting up the branch. Fireman Steele did his best to reassure James, while Station Officer Boyce comforted Sarah.

Once Sam was satisfied with how he'd cut up the branch, he turned the chainsaw off, and he began to clear the brambles away. Finally, Sam carefully levered the remains of the branch off James' leg.

"Yay!" Sarah cheered happily.

Sam knelt beside James again. "Now, James. Can you move your leg at all?"

James tried, but he cried out in pain. "I-I think it's broken," he said tearfully.

"Aye, that doesn't surprise me," Sam told him kindly. He looked up at Station Officer Boyce. "We'd better phone Newtown for an ambulance, sir."

"Yes, of course. I'll go and do that." And Station Officer Boyce ran back over to Jupiter to make the call.

James continued crying. "I'm scared, Uncle Sam."

"You'll be fine, James," Sam tried to reassure him. "I remember breaking my leg at your age, when I jumped down the stairs."

"Why on earth would you do that?" Sarah wondered.

Sam chuckled. "Your father and I were pretending to be superheroes, but we got a bit carried away. I had to wear a cast for six weeks, and walk around with crutches, but it was fun because I got to stay home from school, and all of my friends signed the cast."

"Cool!" James said, perking up.

Sam chuckled. "And, while I was lapping up all the attention, Charlie got into big trouble for breaking mum's best vase. Then he deliberately tried to break his leg too, so dad took away our superhero capes. I think he burned them in the fireplace, because we never saw them again."

Sarah and James burst out laughing. Station Office Boyce ran back over to them then.

"The ambulance is on its way," he told them. "How are you feeling now, young James?"

"A bit better now that Uncle Sam's told me that funny story about dad," James replied, smiling. "Ow! But my leg still hurts."

"Try not to move it, James," Sam instructed gently. "Just relax. Help will be here soon."

"What will you tell mum and dad?" Sarah wondered.

"I'll tell them exactly what happened," Sam replied. "James fell out of a tree while chasing a kite."

"But…" James began with a whimper. "We'll get into so much trouble! Mum doesn't like us climbing trees."

"And neither do I," Sam admonished them. "Remember what I told Norman after I rescued him the other day?"

Sarah and James looked dejectedly at the ground.

"You said that trees weren't playgrounds," James muttered. "Sorry, Uncle Sam. We should've remembered not to climb it."

"And now we've lost our kite," Sarah bemoaned.

Sam softened his tone. "Don't worry, you two. I'll get you both a brand-new kite. And, James, I think your parents will be kind to you, considering you've been injured. But the next time you lose something in a tree, you should ask an adult to help you get it down."

"We didn't think of that, did we, Sarah?" James sniffled.

The distant wailing of a siren indicated the arrival of the ambulance from Newtown. Sam stayed with James, while Station Officer Boyce approached the paramedics, to show them where to go.

…

Later, Sam was very quiet as he drove Station Officer Boyce, Fireman Steele and Sarah back to Pontypandy in Jupiter. He knew Station Officer Boyce would, at the very least, scold him for pulling rank, and he was trying to mentally prepare himself for it.

Once they'd arrived back in Pontypandy, Sam drove to his brother's place, so he could drop Sarah off. Charlie and Bronwyn promptly ran outside as soon as they saw Sam helping Sarah down out of Jupiter.

"Sam! What happened?" Bronwyn gasped as Sarah hugged her leg.

Sam exhaled deeply before he answered. "Sarah and James lost their kite in a tree, and when they climbed up to get it down, the branch James was on broke, and he fell, breaking his leg. He's been taken to Newtown hospital."

"We know," Charlie said. "The hospital just phoned us to tell us. James will be okay, and we're about to go and collect him. They couldn't tell us what had happened to Sarah though, so we were rather concerned."

"It was an accident, mum," Sarah sniffled.

Bronwyn stroked her daughter's hair. "I know, Sarah. Now, come inside, and I'll get you something to drink before we go to Newtown. Thank you for bringing her home, Sam."

"You're welcome, Bronwyn."

Sam climbed back inside Jupiter. As soon as he closed the door, Fireman Steele turned to Station Officer Boyce.

"You see! I told you he wasn't ready to become the lead fireman! Being the lead fireman means that you respect your superiors! Clearly, he hasn't learned how to do that, yet!"

"Fireman Steele," Station Officer Boyce said calmly. "Being a lead fireman also requires the ability to think quickly and make good decisions under pressure. Sam did that today. He knew exactly what was needed before I'd even begun to take in the situation."

Not wanting to get involved in their argument, Sam started up Jupiter for the drive back to the fire station. He felt bad for creating tension between his two superior officers, but he didn't know how to resolve it. However, as he drove past Bella's, Sam got an idea.

…

That evening, Station Officer Boyce and Fireman Steele were inside the fire station office, sorting through some final details for Fireman Steele's takeover, when there was a soft knock on the door.

"Come in!" Station Officer Boyce called.

Sam entered the office, carrying two boxes of pizza from Bella's.

"What is the meaning of this?" Fireman Steele demanded.

"I'm sorry," Sam apologised. "I know things got a bit out of hand today, and I don't want you two arguing about me, so I've brought you both something to eat as a peace offering." And Sam carefully set the pizzas down on the desk. He then stood to attention in front of Station Officer Boyce. "Also, sir, I'd like to thank you for selecting me as lead fireman, but Fireman Steele is right. I'm not good enough to do that job. At least, not yet, but with more training, I could-"

Station Officer Boyce held up his hand to silence Sam. "Sam, when I appointed you as lead fireman, it wasn't an offer. I have already informed HQ of my decision, and they've accepted it. There is no mechanism for you to refuse."

Sam exhaled deeply. "I knew this would be difficult…" he muttered.

"As for the fight between Fireman Steele and myself, well, we do go back a long way. We did our training together, you see, and we've served alongside each other for the better part of fifteen years, so there is a bit of friendly rivalry between us. It's nothing for you to be concerned about. Also, about you pulling rank today, I know you did it for all the right reasons. I understand how awkward it must feel for you as a newcomer to have to wait for orders during an emergency, so being able to assess the situation quickly and then come up with a solution is commendable, and nothing for you to be ashamed of. It shows me that you're committed to your job, and that you are an incredibly intelligent young man. I will be perfectly happy leaving Pontypandy knowing that you will be taking over Fireman Steele's position as lead fireman."

"I'm sorry, Sam," Fireman Steele said quietly. "What Station Officer Boyce just said is correct. Sometimes, it is important for you to pull rank, and I'll try to ignore it in future if you do it during an emergency. After all, you're the one who's most up-to-date with the latest firefighting and rescue techniques, so you're bound to know much more than I do." And with that, Fireman Steele took a bite from his pizza. "Mmm! Great pizza! How did you know that I love meatball pizza the best?"

"Bella told me," Sam replied. "I asked her what pizza flavours you both liked. I hope I got yours right, sir?" he added, turning to Station Officer Boyce.

"Absolutely!" Station Officer Boyce exclaimed as he opened the box. "Hawaiian! Delicious!"

Sam felt as though a giant weight had been lifted from his shoulders for the second time that week. "I think I'll head on home now. Goodnight, sir. Fireman Steele."

"Goodnight, Sam!" both men replied in unison.

…

On his way home to his brother's place, Sam made a detour to Vale Road. He wasn't sure why, but something just seemed to tell him to take that route that evening. When he arrived, he saw why.

Poor Trevor was busy removing his fire and water damaged belongings from his house. Sam approached him.

"Need a hand there, Trevor?" Sam offered.

"Oh! Hello Sam." Trevor replied. "Yes, please. It's hard doing it all on my own."

"Are you sure you should be doing that yet? Weren't you only released from hospital this morning?"

"Yes, and I'm not quite a hundred percent recovered yet, but I do need to make a start sorting everything out. I can't stay with the neighbour's house for too long, you see."

"Yes, I see. Would you like me to help you when I'm off-duty next week?"

Trevor shook his head. "I can't ask you to do that, Sam. Especially since you live on the other side of town."

"Well, I won't be living there for much longer. You see, I've just signed the lease on the house next door to you." Sam gestured to the house behind him by pointing his thumb over his shoulder. "I'll be moving in this weekend."

"Oh. Well, in that case, your help will be greatly appreciated. Thank you, Sam. And… Thank you very much for saving my life yesterday. I honestly cannot thank you enough for doing that."

Sam shrugged. "I was just doing my job, Trevor."

"I know, but I'd probably be dead if you hadn't rescued me in time, so thank you."

"Yes, well, you'd have made my job easier if you didn't weigh so much," Sam said cheekily.

Trevor rolled his eyes and he pointed sternly at Sam. "That's enough, young Samuel Jones. I may not be able to report your antics to your parents anymore, but that's no excuse for rudeness."

Sam chuckled innocently. "Sorry, Trevor. I can't help it sometimes! You know me. Now, let's see about your things. My dinner will be a little late tonight anyway. Bronwyn and Charlie have gone to Newtown to collect James from the hospital."

"Oh, no! What happened to him?"

"He'll be fine, Trevor. He just broke his leg today, that's all."

"Oh. Well, I hope to see him back on his feet again soon."

"Me too, Trevor. But all kids break a bone at some point. It's part of growing up."

"Yes… Uh, Sam? I've been wondering… Is it possible to become a volunteer fireman at all?"

Sam frowned thoughtfully. "Well, I don't see why not, providing you get the right training and qualifications. Would you like me to ask Station Officer Boyce for more details?"

"Yes, please. Considering you saved my life, this will be my way of thanking you."

Sam smiled. "If that's what you want, but you really don't need to. As I said, I was just doing my job. Now, where would you like me to start?"

"Er… The rug in the hallway needs to be thrown out, and that's a two-person job, because it's still soaking wet."

Sam rolled up his sleeves. "Right. Let's get on with it then."

 **I'll be honest and say that I'm not a hundred percent happy with this chapter, but I suppose it'll do as it is. Again, I do hope you all enjoy it. I'm considering adding an extra chapter after the next one (which was to be the final chapter), but I think I'll let you (my readers) decide if you want more. I don't want this story to go on for too much longer though, because I have more stories planned. Thank you!**


	7. Chapter 7 - Farewell Boyce

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to HiT Entertainment.**

Chapter 7 – Farewell Boyce

Station Officer Boyce's final day at the Pontypandy fire station arrived the following day. A big party had been planned for the fire station, and Dilys and Bella were busily preparing lots of food for everyone.

At the fire station, Sam and Elvis were helping Fireman Steele put up the bunting. Well, technically, Fireman Steele was supervising, Sam was up on a step-ladder nailing the bunting to the wall, and Elvis was fetching more bunting. Elvis emerged from the garage carrying a box of bunting that was half obscuring his vision.

"I've found some more bunting and…" Elvis walked straight into the ladder that Sam was standing on.

"Whoa!" Sam yelped as the ladder wobbled beneath him. He grabbed hold of the bunting to steady himself, but the bunting tore almost immediately, and Sam fell off the ladder. Luckily, he manged to land, more-or-less, on his feet.

"Criddlington!" Fireman Steele admonished.

"Whoops! Sorry, Sam," Elvis apologised as Sam brushed himself off.

"That's okay, Elvis. Just watch where you're going next time. I nearly sprained my ankle! And it looks as though we'll need even more bunting now."

Elvis slumped his shoulders sadly. "Oh dear. I'll go and look for some more."

Sam shook his head in amusement before he reclimbed the ladder.

…

Several hours later, everything was ready for the farewell party. All of the Pontypandy residents were beginning to arrive, but there was just one problem.

"Where's Dilys and Bella with the food?" Fireman Steele wondered.

"I'm sure they won't be too far away," Sam tried to reassure him.

Fireman Steele scoffed. "Well, I suppose it's better late than never. Especially considering Elvis' cooking…"

Charlie and Bronwyn approached Sam and Fireman Steele. "Hello, Sam. Fireman Steele," Charlie greeted them.

"Charlie," Fireman Steele replied politely. "Bronwyn."

"Is there a problem?" Bronwyn wondered, seeing Fireman Steele's concern.

"Fireman Steele is just concerned about the late arrival of the food," Sam explained. "I have a suggestion, sir. Why don't I take Jupiter and I'll go and see what's keeping the ladies?"

"Good idea, Fireman Sam," Fireman Steele agreed, and he glanced at his watch. "You'll need to hurry though. Station Officer Boyce's farewell party in due to start in exactly ten minutes."

Sam ran over to Jupiter. He was just about to climb inside, when he saw Norman scamper out of the passenger side door.

"Norman Price! What were you doing inside Jupiter?" Sam demanded to know. Norman tried to run, but Sam managed to grab him by the scruff of his collar.

"Nothing!" Norman protested innocently. "I was just trying to find the siren."

"You need to stay away from Jupiter," Sam warned. "She isn't a toy."

"I know that, Fireman Sam. I just wanted to know which button it was."

"Well, that is for me to know, and you to never find out," Sam told him firmly. He waited until Norman had run over to Sarah and James, before he climbed inside Jupiter. Everyone looked up as Sam drove Jupiter out of the garage and down the driveway.

Minutes later, Sam stopped Jupiter outside Bella's cafe. Dilys and Bella hurried over to him.

"Sam? We have a diploma," Dilys exclaimed.

"I think you mean a dilemma, Dilys," Sam said as he climbed down. "What's the problem?"

"We've-a make-a so much food that we have-a no way of-a getting it to-a the fire station," Bella explained.

Sam frowned thoughtfully. "I see. Well, ladies, since the food is for the fire station, why don't we use Jupiter to get it there?"

"Brilliant idea, Sam!" Bella cried with delight.

"Yes," Dilys agreed. "But will we make it in time?"

"Of course! Come, on. I'll help."

…

Sam, Bella and Dilys arrived back at the fire station with only moments to spare. Bronwyn helped Bella and Dilys unload the food from Jupiter, and they arranged it neatly on the tables.

"Thank you for your help, Sam," Dilys said once all the food had been set out.

"No problem, Dilys," Sam replied.

Station Officer Boyce stepped onto the dais then. "Greetings, everyone. As you know, today is my very last day as Station Officer of the Pontypandy fire brigade. My promotion to Station Officer of the Newtown fire brigade means that I won't get to see you as much as I do now, of course. But, I'm sure you'll find that Fireman Steele will make an adequate replacement for me."

Sam quickly coughed behind his hand to suppress the urge to laugh. Beside him, Elvis also chuckled. A ripple of laughter spread throughout the crowd as well. Fireman Steele glanced crossly at his superior. Station Officer Boyce cleared his throat.

"Yes, well, in addition to Fireman Steele's promotion, I'd also like to take this moment to officially promote our newest recruit, Fireman Sam, to the position of lead fireman. Even though he's only been with us for a week, he has already proven himself to be a strong, and very capable leader. This was well and truly demonstrated the other day when he saved the life of Trevor Evans from what could have been a disastrous house fire. Fireman Sam? Please step forwards."

Sam did so, and everyone applauded him as Station Officer Boyce handed over the official promotion papers.

"Thank you, sir," Sam said as he accepted them. He saluted Station Officer Boyce before stepping back into line beside Elvis. He glanced at his colleague. "Sorry, Elvis."

"That's all right, Sam. You'll make a much better lead fireman than I ever will."

Embarrassed, Sam looked down at his promotion papers. "I'll have to frame these. It'll probably be the only promotion I'll ever get."

"I doubt that, Sam," Elvis muttered.

"Will you two be quiet?" Fireman Steele admonished them. "Station Officer Boyce is waiting to finish his speech."

"Sorry, sir," Sam and Elvis muttered in unison.

Station Officer Boyce cleared his throat. "And now, it's time for me to present Fireman Steele with his Station Officer's helmet."

Fireman Steele had just accepted his brand-new white Station Officer's helmet, when Jupiter's siren went off. Everyone promptly turned to look at Jupiter. Too late, Norman ducked out of sight under the dashboard.

"NORMAN PRICE!" everyone shouted in unison.

 **Since this was supposed to be the final chapter, it is a bit shorter than the rest. I am working on a new story (working title 'Nightmares'), but it will be a few days before it'll be ready. With the new story, I've decided to experiment by writing it in first person from Sam's POV. I thought I'd be even more interesting to try and get deeper inside his head, if you know what I mean.**

 **Anyway, please let me know if you want more to this story, or if I should just leave it as it is. So far, I've only had one person requesting more. Thank you so much to those who have left a review! I can assure you that all reviews have been greatly appreciated, even if I haven't gotten around to replying to them.**


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